


Heaven Is A Place On Earth (With You)

by randomrambler



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Alec's favourite game, Angst, M/M, Magnus needs all the hugs, Magnus plays a videogame, Malec Angst, Malec's kids, Parents Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood, Raph in this story is one of their kids, Sad Magnus Bane, So much angst, fluff too, malec family, mortal Alec, twist ending
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-24
Updated: 2018-08-24
Packaged: 2019-07-01 21:39:43
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,739
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15782634
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/randomrambler/pseuds/randomrambler
Summary: "You're doing it wrong. You're just going to get skewered when that guy comes around the corner." "Oh, shut it, Alexander. Remember I taught you how to play this. I've got it." Magnus continues to make his way through the game, having never taken his eyes off the TV even as he responded to Alec's teasing.Or the one where Magnus plays one of Alec's favourite games and tries to beat his high score, and things get very soft.





	Heaven Is A Place On Earth (With You)

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first ever attempt at fic writing and it was inspired by a tweet from a wonderful mutual whose mind is just THAT powerful. I loved writing this so much because it took me to a place I've avoided for years now, and you'll probably see why when you read it. 
> 
> Fair warning, it gets very angsty in the middle, and by the end, you'll probably be yelling and crying BUT you'll be smiling and laughing too. I would tell you more, but I really want this to be an immersive experience for everyone reading it. 
> 
> Special shout out to everyone who told me this was good enough to stop hiding. You know who you are so, I won't embarrass you with my undying gratitude and love here. Just know, you have it, today, tomorrow, always.
> 
> Title is from the song "Video Games" by Lana Del Rey

Magnus is playing one of Alec's favourite games. The house is empty for the first time in... he can't remember a time when it was ever empty, not since he met Alexander. Today though, he figures he has maybe an hour or two before one of the kids stops by. He chuckles, I guess this is the downside of having 178 children – never a quiet moment to yourself. Alec laughs. "You're doing it wrong. You're just going to get skewered when that guy comes around the corner." "Oh, shut it, Alexander. Remember I taught you how to play this. I've got it." Magnus continues to make his way through the game, having never taken his eyes off the TV even as he responded to Alec's teasing. Helicopter parenting might be fine, but he didn't need anyone telling him how to win at their game. It was Alec's favourite game, whether because he and Magnus had spent so much time together playing through it as Magnus taught him, or because it was the first game he'd played where he beat Magnus' high score, it wasn't really clear. Today, Magnus was determined to take back his crown. Even if Alec kept distracting him with those side comments and frankly, wanton looks. It took all of his now 860 years of experience and self-control to stay focused on the task at hand.

"Magnus, you know I worked hard for that high score. Do you really think you're gonna beat it in what, 90 minutes? Raph will probably be back soon. Let it go."

Magnus ignored his taunting and focused even harder. 

"You know, 90 minutes without the kids, for the first time in weeks... I can think of a few things you could do with those hands instead of this." His voice had dropped and hitched up in the way that told Magnus that Alec was really going for the jugular.

He paused the game to look over in exasperation. "Alexander, your efforts only tell me you're scared I'll actually beat you. Besides," his gaze slipped to Alec's mouth, turned up in mischief, "I will be done with plenty of time to spare. Don't worry." Alec laughed out loud at that, knowing he'd been caught red-handed. "Alright. I guess if I can't beat you, I have to join you." Magnus had already resumed his game, but he heard the smile in Alec's voice as he said that. It was followed by his husband getting down on the couch next to him to guide him through the game. He said he was helping, but really, every time his hands skimmed Magnus' arm, or he whispered in his ears, telling him to watch out for some incoming adversary, Magnus couldn't help the shivers that ran through him. He gritted his teeth and told himself to focus.

Eventually, with exactly 28 minutes to spare, Magnus jumped up with a whoop, having finished the game and beaten Alec's long-reigning high score. "I did it!" He laughed when he turned and found his husband sulking on the couch even if his eyes glowed with pride. "You did? You know that's half my victory, right? I basically walked you to that high score, Magnus." Alec sulked but he couldn't stop himself from laughing too. Eventually, they both dissolved into a helpless fit of giggles, and Magnus collapsed on the couch doubled over at the sheer ridiculousness of it all.

Their laughter died down as Magnus turned to face his husband once more, remembering all that talk about things he could do with his hands a mere hour ago. He smiled as he looked at Alec, eyes full of love and wonder, more so than the first time Alec had declared his love for him on the steps of the institute all those years ago. Slowly, his lips began to lose their lustre, "I miss you so much, my Alexander." Magnus sighed. He knew Alec wasn't really here. He knew why the kids had been in the house non-stop even though they all had lives and homes of their own. He knew, but he couldn't stop the longing that gripped his heart every time he saw that bloody game just lying there. He'd thought playing it would give him a way to connect with Alec again. It had been 8 months since Alec died and Magnus still couldn't bring himself to touch the console. Today, when one of his grandkids had asked to play the game with him, he'd broken down into a stuttering, blubbering mess, and Raphael had to clear out the house to give him some time to get himself back.

"Magnus, you know I'll always be here. You know I'll never truly leave you, baby." Alec said. Hearing those words, Magnus felt tears sting his eyes. He did know that Alec would live on forever, in his heart, in their children, and their grandkids and great-grandkids, he knew Alec had left behind a legacy that would stand as long as his own immortal life. He knew this, but he longed for the warmth and strength of his husband's arms around him when he came home from a particularly tiresome engagement. He longed to see Alec's eyes light up when he surprised him with his favourite dessert after a long workout session at their home gym. He wanted to have more ridiculous discussions with Alec about the virtues of fatty tuna and why giraffes were the most beautiful animals - it was all in the eyelashes. He missed those intimate moments when they held each other, waiting for the other to fall asleep at night because it had become a running competition in their home to see who could outlast the other. Magnus smiled when he remembered all the nights he'd pretended to fall asleep just so Alec wouldn't keep himself up trying to outdo his warlock husband.

"You don't think I never knew you were faking?" Alec asked incredulously. "Come on babe. I simply got tired of competing! You know I can't stay up long when you're holding me like that." He scoffed. "Maybe you did, and maybe you didn't." Magnus replied clicking his tongue. He was about to laugh again when it occurred to him that now, now he would never find out if Alec knew about that or all the other times he'd pranked his darling husband. He could feel the despair creeping in again, so he left the couch and made his way over to the kitchen. Some tea should help, he thinks. 

"Tea isn't the answer to everything, Magnus." Alec teases. 

He's heard this line before. Even if he knows it isn't really Alec leaning against the kitchen counter with that half smile on his face, even if he can recall with alarming clarity the exact moment of his husband's death, Magnus is willing to argue and laugh with and tease this reflection of his darling Alexander, made manifest from his thoughts, his memories, his love, and a bit of warlock magic. He smiles even as the tears continue to fall, flowing into the delicate China cup he had no memory of picking up. "You can do this, baby." Alec says. His voice is softer as if he's on the other side of the room and Magnus looks up sharply, straining to hear him. "I'll always be here if you need me, but I know you won't always need me. So, I'll be here when you want me too." Magnus is frantic now. He hadn't realised Alec was leaving him again and he wasn't sure he wanted to deal with it now. This wasn't the first time he'd conjured up his husband from his subconscious, but something about this time left him with a feeling of urgency and immense loss. Why did Alec think he could go on without him when he knew he couldn't? He felt his knees wobble, knowing that he couldn't keep himself upright much longer as this sadness returned with greater force, but also knowing that one or more of the Lightwood-Bane army would be storming the house soon. He couldn't afford to be on the floor when Raphael came back. 

Even as the thought crossed his mind, he heard the front door open. "Papa?" a voice called out from the foyer. Magnus quickly began collecting himself and making a new cup of tea when two delicate arms covered in tell-tale Shadowhunter runes hugged him from behind. "Oh Papa," Alexandra said, "I miss him too. So very much. You know you don't always have to be strong for us, right?" Magnus chuckled and turned to give his daughter a tight hug. "I know, Lexa" he sighed, "but you know your old Papa is quite stubborn about wanting you kids to lean on him. I learned that from your dad, you know." Alexandra laughed as she could already sense a tall tale coming about one of their dads' many adventures. She took his hand in hers as she walked over to the counter with the coffee maker. It was Dad's drink, coffee, and she'd developed a deep love for it because she spent so much time with Alec. Magnus watched her turn on the complicated machine as he finished making his second cup of tea, already smiling as he mentally flipped through a catalogue of stories from his wonderful life with Alec. As he does this he remembers all the years of love they had together, making each other laugh, making each other cry – sometimes happy tears, other times angry, tears - but always, loving each other beyond sanity. Magnus knows he can still feel his husband in their home, in their kitchen, in their living room, in their bedroom, but most especially, in their children. Alexandra makes a satisfied sound that's somewhere between a grunt and a sigh as she inhales her coffee - always enjoy the smell of it before you get to the taste, it was something Alec liked to tell his kids as he'd tried to get them to take up his addiction to coffee. Magnus chuckles again. He's decided on the story he's going to tell Alexandra about Alec now, and of course, he makes sure to add as many flourishes as possible. She takes his hand as he weaves his latest tale, leading him back to the living room, as they laugh over what the kids had dubbed The Grand, Rigorous Adventures of Alec & Magnus Lightwood-Bane.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! 
> 
> I hope you enjoyed this as much as I enjoyed writing it. I'm sorry for any aching hearts, but I hope you smiled, like me, in the end.
> 
> Leave kudos if you liked this and please drop comments (be kind!).


End file.
